An actor is a person who portrays someone they are not, they are handed a script, a short story in a sense, and are asked not only to read it, but to focus their thoughts on a particular character within the story, so that when the time comes to make the movie, they can pretend to be that character to the best of their ability.
In a Scriptural reference, these are they who profess Christy only with their lips, (Matt. 15:8) they know the part they are to play; they have studied it well, not always from the Word of God, but from the particular church or religious organization that they attend. The rules, regulations and traditions are memorized, and they play their part very well, they become what they believe they are to be, “But their heart is far from me.” (Matt. 15:8)
There are in this world also what are called “fans,” it is short for fanatics, and these people are following around an idea. They know that the person in the movie, no matter which movie it is, we call them “stars,” is only playing a part, yet they will do all that they can to live narcissistically through that person’s character, deriving part of their own personal values from them. Crowds of these people will roar and applaud when the movie star graces them with their presence, cameras will click, microphones will be placed in their face, and every word that these stars say will be hung on, listened to intently. These fans, for the most part, compared to the stars, live very shallow lives, and if they cannot be a star, they at least want to be in the presence of them.
“And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.” (Mark 5:24) Why? If those in the crowd did not need to be healed, if their bellies were full, if they did not really need anything that day, why the press, why the need or desire to be close to Him? I would like to think that it was because they knew who He was, or is, if you prefer, but I do not think that was the case then anymore than it is today. They simply wanted to be associated with Him, not for His glory, but for their own personal, selfish pride.
People who have very wealthy relatives like to inform others of this fact, it is pride by association, they are lifting themselves up, not only in their own eyes, but they hope in the eyes of others. Such is the life of many who profess Christ as Lord, such is the life of every single person who adheres to the doctrinal statement of every religious organization, they live vicariously through the life of Jesus, but they do not know Him. “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matt. 25:41)
Those who love Jesus Christ, those who have a personal relationship with Him, do not attempt to live like Christ, they do not emulate Him, they allow Him to live through them. They submit to the will of the Holy Spirit in every avenue of their lives, they are receptive to His will and Word, and they care not even for their own lives. They seek nothing but the glory of God. All they, all we desire is found in Christ, we do not seek our own, (1 Cor. 10:24) we have died to self, (Gal. 2:20) we do not want to be near Him because of what He can do for us, but because He is, and “in thy presence is fulness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11)
If He says we are to be poor in this earth, we rejoice, if He places us in perils, in tribulations, in troubles, we rejoice, and not because we know that someday we will reside in His kingdom, where “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Rev. 21:4) But because it is He that we serve, and we serve Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
There are many people who believe they are saved who will never enter through the gates of our home, and the time is growing very short for them to come to the realization that they are only fans, and that they will never shine as the stars of heaven, (Daniel 12:3) unless it is for the glory of God, and His glory only, that they exist.
